Liquid-supply gage.



W. JAY.

LI'OUID SUPPLY GAGE. APPLICATION msn ocr. 2|. 191e. nzuewf'o Nov. 9. |911.

1,251,668. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

y @AR-*KAR als Msg/Q WEBB JAY. OF OHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIQUID-SUPPLY GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application led October 21, 1916, Serial No. 126,886. Renewed November 9, 1917. Serial No. 201,183.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVEBB JAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,`. have invented new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Suppl Gages, of which the following is a speci cation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a gagedevice associated with a liquid supply receptacle such as a gasolene tank on an automobile, so arranged that the indicating elements of the gage may be mounted at any convenient location at a distance from the tank itself, and by virtue of connection with saidtank will be adapted to indicate the quantity of liquid remaining in the tank at any tirn'e while not interfering with the continuous or intermittent withdrawal of such liquid. The invention consists of the various elements contributing in combination to thi@ result, as hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a diagrammatic view with certain parts in section, showing a gage device embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similarly arranged diagram of a modification.v

In the drawings the liquid supply receptacle which may be the gasolene tank of an automobile, is represented at A, and is shown provided with the filler cap, A1, through which the gasolene is introduced into the tank and the discharge pipe, B, which may lead to any suitable means for withdrawing the liquid from the tank, A, such as, for example, a suction pump or a vacuum feed mechanism, said tank having the usual atmospheric inlet port, a, at the top. Within the tank, A, there is formedl a compartment, C, whose bottom wall is a filter screen, D, and the discharge pipe, B, is shown terminating within the compartment, C, just above said filter screen, D, in order that the liquid withdrawn from the tank, A, may be filtered through the screen before it enters the discharge pipej B. Leading from the top of the compartment,I C, a tube, E, extends to the gage device which is shown in Fig. 1, as a U-tube, F, containing afliquid piston, F2, which may be mercury.- or any other suitable liquid, and having a scale, F2, associated with one limb. l

The device operates as follows; Starting with the tank, A, empty and with the filler cap, A1, removed, it will be seen that the tank, A, andthe compartment, C, and also tube, E, will contain airat atmospheric pressure. As the gasolene or other liquid is poured into the tank, it will gradually rise inthe compartment, C, and expel the' air from said compartment, tending to compress it in the upper portion of the compartment and in the tube,.E, but in so doing, overbalancing the liquid'column, F1, in the `U tube, F, and causing saidliquid to rise in the limb of the tube with which the scale, F2, is associated. Said scale, F2, may be properly graduated to indicate the quantity of liquid in the tank, A, corresponding to a given position of the top of the column, F1, in this fartherv limb of the tube, F, so that as the tank, A, becomes full, said column of liquid will reach a maximum height in the tube. Now as the liquid is withdrawn from the tank, A, through the pipe, B, by means of any suitable apparatus associated with said pipe, B, the level of liquid receding in the tankA, and likewise in the compartment, C, will permit expansion of the air in the tube, E, with resulting decrease in the pressure of this confined air, and a corresponding fall in the column of liquid in the farther' limb of the U-tube, F. Thus by the time all the liquid has been withdrawn from the tank, A, the liquid piston, F1, will have resumed its original position corresponding to the empty condition of the tank, while at any intermediate point, the position of the piston, F1, in the farther limb of the U-tube, F, will indicate the quantity of liquid remaining in the tank, A. It is immaterial whether the limb of the U tube, F, associated with the scale, F2, be hermetically sealed or be left open to the atmosphere, except that, of course, the graduations of the scale, F2, would be slightly different in the two cases; if the tube is left open to atmospheric -pressure, it may be provided with a dust cap, as indicated at F3.

Fig. 2 illustrates a slight modification in which a comparatively sensitive pressure gage, Gr, is substituted for the U-tube, F, the scale of such gage, G, being graduated to indicate the quantity of liquid in the tank A, corresponding to any given degree of compression of the confined air in the tube, E.

When this invention is employed in connection with a vacuum feed system, which, as is well understood, withdraws liquid intermittently from the tank, A, and stores it in a small auxiliary tank, the presence of the lilter screen, `D, will render thegage device, whether in the form, F, or in the form, G, capable of indicating the operation of the vacuum feed system. Owing to the presence of the screen, D, the liquid will be more readily withdrawn from the compartment, C, so that the level in this compartment will be lowered 'faster than the general level in the tank, 4A, while withdrawal is taking place, with a subsequent re-adjustment of level through the screen, D. This will cause something of a iuotution in the indication of the gage device which fluctuation will serve to indicate Whether or not the vacuum feed mechanism is working properly.

1. In combination with a liquid supply Areceptacle having an atmosphere inlet at the upper part; a iitting inserted down through the top of the receptacle, and having a screened intake mouth at its lower end; a liquid discharge tube extending air tight through the top of said lit-ting, and down within the same and open at the lower part for liquid intake; an air tube connected to the top of the fitting and a pressure gage to which said tube leads.

2, In combination with a liquid supply weies receptacle having an atmosphere inlet at the upper part; a tube having its upper end closed exce t as to connections hereiny vafter mentionec, inserted through the top of said receptacle, and having its lower end in said receptacle open for liquid intake and provided with a screen or strainer; an air tube connected to the closed top of said first mentioned tube outside the liquid receptacle; a pressure gage device to which said air tube leads, and a liquid discharge tube extending down air-tight through said top of the first mentioned tube, and at its lower end opening within said first mentioned tube near the lower part thereof above the screen.

3. In combination with a liquid supply receptacle having an atmosphere inlet at the upper part; a fitting inserted down through the top of the receptacle, extending near to the bottom of the receptacle and open at the lower end for liquid, intake; a.

liquid discharge tube extending air-tight through the top of said fitting, and down within the same, and open at the lower part; for liquid intake; an-air tube connected to the top of the fitting, and a pressure gage to which said tube leads. i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 19th day of October, 1916.

WEBB JAY. 

